Wire feeders are commonplace in the field of welding. As is well known, they are used in conjunction with a welding power source for feeding a wire electrode to a workpiece during the welding process. The electrode may include solid wire, which in some instances is coated depending on the application. Other applications utilize flux cored wire. The wire is continuously fed at a rate which may vary during the welding process. Such processes include, for example, FCAW and self-shield FCAW arc welding.
Manufacturers construct welding accessories for use with a particular application or a specific type of welding machine. In the case of wire feeders, it is known for a manufacturer to construct a unit which draws power from the welding arc. These types of wire feeders may be especially useful for construction site or field use where welding frequently occurs away from the welding power source. Other wire feeders draw power from a separate regulated power supply, since some applications require greater precision and may be adversely affected by power drawn from across the arc. Pulse welding is one example. This type of wire feeder utilizes a separate cable to conduct power from the regulated power supply, which may reside in the welder. In the present state of the art, these systems are not directly interchangeable.